Students Step Up For The Coastal Environment

Thank you to all the environmentally concerned community who attended the February 27 lecture by Clyde MacKenzie at Brookdale Community College. The standing room only presentation on our declining coastal ecosystem was clearly of vital interest to our shore communities and beyond. The event was part of a continuing Environmental Lecture Series and just one way that Brookdale Community College is promoting the college’s mission to apprise students and the community about current environmental issues. Next in the lecture series will be the March 26 focus on rain gardens, and we have additional presentations scheduled for April through July. During the summer, the Sandy Hook Environmental Field Station will offer a variety of college-credit courses in Oceanography and Marine Biology. There will also be a Coastal Environmental Workshop for Teachers and a “Step Up” program for high school students. “Step Up” students will experience the importance of the ocean and how humans affect marine ecosystems through hands-on investigation of: tidal pools, salt marshes, beach and ocean systems taught through hikes and explora­tion on Sandy Hook. By touring the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAH) lab and discussing with researchers their current methodologies and goals, students will learn about the equipment used in modern marine science research.

Since 1972 Brookdale’s Environmental Field Station has been serving the community. If I can further answer questions about all “The Hook” has to offer and our future programs, please feel free to contact me at my e-mail: rmacaluso@brookdalecc.edu.